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Baum: “We’ve been able to create chances against every opponent we have faced”

After a strong home performance and a surprise home victory against Borussia Dortmund, FC Augsburg head coach Manuel Baum is highly motivated for his side’s away match against RB Leipzig on Saturday (15:30 CET). Nevertheless, Baum has warned against comparing Dortmund with fellow Bundesliga side Leipzig.

In the club’s 111th anniversary match back in October, FCA managed to withstand the threats from Leipzig and kept a clean sheet. Five months later, Manuel Baum’s are plagued with defensive injuries as well as Reece Oxford’s suspension. However, the FCA head coach sees no reason to panic despite the injuries. “The current injury list is much longer than we wanted it to be. However, we managed to use the resources available to us effectively against Dortmund. We certainly cannot compare that home win with our upcoming trip to Leipzig. We are playing away from home and Leipzig will know we were able to secure points against Dortmund. We have to prepare not just physically but also mentally to face Leipzig.” FCA not only face the third placed Roten Bullen on Saturday, but also the best defence in the Bundesliga. “We’ve been able to create chances against every opponent we have faced this season. We will have to defend well because Leipzig are fast on the counter and very dangerous at set-pieces.”

Rani Khedira will face his former club on Saturday and will play in a defensive role for FCA. “My favourite position is defensive midfield but I don’t have any problems adapting to a defensive role to support the team. I will always play where the coach and the team need me to play. We are currently making some good progress in defence. However, we will need to defend better in Leipzig compared with the home victory against Dortmund. I am sure we can remove the individual mistakes from our game.”

Manuel Baum isn’t looking beyond Saturday towards future opponents

In their next home match, FCA face Hannover 96 in what may prove to be a ‘six pointer’ in the battle against relegation (Saturday, 16th March. 15:30 CET). However, Baum isn’t looking beyond this weekend’s clash with Leipzig. “I am certainly not thinking about the Hannover match. That will begin after we have played Leipzig. The only thing that currently matters is the Leipzig match.”

The FCA head coach will be without the services of goalkeeper Fabian Giefer in Leipzig. Giefer has undergone an operation on his ankle. Meanwhle, Kostas Stafylidis will also miss the trip to Leipzig are being forced off against Dortmund due to injury.

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